Curriculum Development > High School 9-12 > Other Supplemental Programs > Frontiers in Microbiology > Microbiology Education   As discussed in the previous sections, microbiology is in the midst of an exciting revolution. Microbes have been in the public eye over the past decade like never before. Unfortunately, this increased awareness has often been passed through a prism of negativity. Fears of bioterrorism and the emergence of diseases such as AIDS, West Nile, and SARS have reinforced the negative aspects of microbes. Large-scale incidents of food contamination in developed countries have reinforced this fear of microbes. An increasing array of products with antimicrobial properties is available to make us safer, or at least feel safer. If the current revolution in microbiology is to reach its full potential, then microbiology education must fulfill its promise. Education is important, not only to train the next generation of microbiologists, but also to generate an informed public that can make rational decisions regarding issues that involve microbes. Decision makers at all levels need to be aware of how microbes affect society. They need to help schools update and improve their curricula to better teach these important concepts. Microbes occupy a central position in the tree of life. They can be used as a central organizing principle in the study of biology. This argues for integrating microbiology into all aspects of biology education, rather than relegating it to a separate course. Most of the biology content found in the National Science Education Standards can be taught using microbial examples. Microbiology provides interesting case studies (historical as well as contemporary) that are engaging to students and reflect important nature-of-science concepts. A recent report issued by the National Research Council (Singer, Hilton, & Schweingruber, 2005) has reaffirmed the importance of laboratory-based instruction while at the same time criticizing the current state of lab teaching in America's high schools. The report found that most lab activities were included almost as afterthoughts. They were not integrated into the rest of the science class. Furthermore, many high school lab activities do not reflect the process of scientific inquiry. They don't help students understand how scientists use lab investigations to explore new areas. Although there was much to criticize regarding the design and implementation of high school laboratories, the report also acknowledged that teachers face a number of constraints that limit their ability to provide proper lab experiences to their students. These can be summed up as time, safety, and money. Microbiology offers potential solutions to the problems associated with lab-based teaching. Harmless microbes are easily obtainable and affordable. They are small and reproduce quickly, which means that they can be used to address concepts of genetics and population biology that are otherwise difficult to approach experimentally. Although microbiology makes use of cutting-edge technology, its basic tools are simple, inexpensive, and remain relevant to topics of current interest in biology. Furthermore, many microbiological techniques can be performed within the brief periods of time allotted for science classes. Microbiology is well suited to an interdisciplinary approach. Microbial diversity is best understood by investigating the geology and chemistry of earth's many ecosystems. Mathematics is important for understanding population growth and changes in frequency brought about through natural selection, and for modeling the impacts of microbes on the environment. Microbiology also provides engaging case studies that can be incorporated into health, history, and social science classes. It is also worth noting that microbiology provides wide-ranging career opportunities, not just for students interested in biology but for those with interests in computer science, mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering as well. Thirty years ago new techniques for manipulating DNA led to the explosive growth of the field of molecular biology. Today, there is virtually no area of biology that has not been greatly influenced by molecular genetics. Microbiology was well suited to benefit from this scientific revolution. The small sizes of microbial genomes mean that genomic techniques have (and continue to) affect microbiology faster and more deeply than most other areas of biology. Hopefully, decision makers from industry, government, and academia will recognize the importance of revitalizing microbiology education and will make resources available to meet this important challenge. Previous Table of Contents Next

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